13.4 % Efficiency from All-Small-Molecule Organic Solar Cells Based on a Crystalline Donor with Chlorine and Trialkylsilyl Substitutions

How to simultaneously achieve both high open-circuit voltage (V-oc) and high short-circuit current density (J(sc)) is a big challenge for realising high power conversion efficiency (PCE) in all-small-molecule organic solar cells (all-SM OSCs). Herein, a novel small molecule (SM)-donor, namely FYSM-SiCl, with trialkylsilyl and chlorine substitutions was designed and synthesized. Compared to the original SM-donor FYSM-H, FYSM-Si with trialkylsilyl substitution showed a decreased crystallinity and lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level, while FYSM-SiCl had an improved crystallinity, more ordered packing arrangement, significantly lower HOMO level, and predominant face-on orientation. Matched with a SM-acceptor Y6, the FYSM-SiCl-based all-SM OSCs exhibited both high V-oc of 0.85 V and high J(sc) of 23.7 mA cm(-2), which is rare for all-SM OSCs and could be attributed to the low HOMO level of FYSM-SiCl donor and the delicate balance between high crystallinity and suitable blend morphology. As a result, FYSM-SiCl achieved a high PCE of 13.4 % in all-SM OSCs, which was much higher than those of the FYSM-H- (10.9 %) and FYSM-Si-based devices (12.2 %). This work demonstrated a promising method for the design of efficient SM-donors by a side-chain engineering strategy via the introduction of trialkylsilyl and chlorine substitutions.

Automated summary

A novel small molecule donor FYSM-SiCl was designed and synthesized with trialkylsilyl and chlorine substitutions, exhibiting high open-circuit voltage and high short-circuit current density in all-small-molecule organic solar cells. The introduction of side-chain engineering strategy led to improved efficiency and promising potential for efficient small molecule donors.